By Andrew Wu
Former Socceroo and prominent anti-racism advocate Craig Foster has apologised to Matildas star Sam Kerr for condemning her alleged remark to a UK police officer as racist.
Foster issued a lengthy statement on Saturday explaining his 180-degree change in position, saying he had been mistaken in thinking any “discriminatory, demeaning or hostile” comments referencing any colour were a form of racism.
Sam Kerr has pleaded not guilty and is fighting to have the charge of racially aggravated harassment of the police officer thrown out.Credit: AP
Kerr is alleged to have called a police officer a “stupid white bastard” but, according to a report in The Australian, her legal team will argue she had instead called him a “stupid white cop”.
The 30-year-old, who is of Indian descent, fronted a London court on Monday to plead not guilty and is fighting to have the charge of racially aggravated harassment of the officer thrown out. She is accused of using insulting, threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to an officer in Twickenham, south-west London.
Foster on Thursday urged Football Australia to strip Kerr of the Matildas captaincy if the charges were proven, to make a strong stand against racism. But he has had a change of heart.
“Like many, I mistakenly thought that comments that references any colour and were discriminatory, demeaning or hostile were a form of racism. I apologise to Sam for that mistake,” Foster wrote in a statement posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday.
Craig Foster has apologised to Sam Kerr.Credit: Domain
Citing the Diversity Council of Australia’s definition of racism which references the perpetrator being in a position of “race-based societal power”, Foster said racism cannot be committed against a white person as they are not a member of a marginalised group.
“Does that equate to double standards when the same terms of phrases are used against marginalised groups, is the question,” Foster wrote.
“The answer is no. Because the power differential and therefore impact are vastly and fundamentally different. Those of us who aren’t from a minority background cannot possibly know how it feels to be told that we don’t belong, don’t speak the language, don’t look right, to ‘go back where you came from’ or to have faced intergenerational racism.”
Foster said definitions of racism were “not designed to protect me, as a white, Anglo, Australian male nor a white police officer who has even greater legal, and racial power”.
“That’s because I cannot experience racism in Australia,” Foster wrote.
“My right to speak is not questioned, I am in the cultural, racial, and linguistic majority, aren’t attacked for my name, colour, head dress or religion as many are, and am made to feel that I have a right to belong which is why, like many of you, I am deeply committed to making sure that no other Australian faces personal, institutional or systemic racism.”
Foster, who played 29 games for the Socceroos, was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2021 for his service to multiculturalism, human rights and refugee support organisations and to football.
Foster is uncomfortable that definitions of racism were being reversed at a time when First Nations people and people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds were striving for equality in the workplace, media and politics.
“That’s wrong,” Foster wrote. “And only serves to diminish the genuine claims of those who do experience vilification, discrimination, systemic racism, and exclusion. This week provides an opportunity for us all to be better attuned to this and make sure it doesn’t happen.
“We can’t pretend it is easy, and mistakes are inevitable but no one should be scared, embarrassed or reticent about doing our best to understand and confront racism, on our shared journey to a better future.”
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